by Cheree Alsop
The felis settled contently next to them. After a minute, Tariq began to pet its head. The felis leaned against him.
“Brandis gave you a ship?” Liora asked. She regretted the way she had left things with her brother and father.
“I didn’t exactly give him a choice,” Tariq replied. “When I told him his sister’s life was on the line, he gave me his fastest ship and insisted on being the pilot. He’s waiting for us in the clearing.”
“I’m sorry about having you detained.”
Tariq rose to his knees in the grass and took her hands in his. “Liora, promise me one thing.”
The intensity in Tariq’s gaze sent a warm rush through Liora. “What is it?”
“We live together or die together.” The emotions made his eyes darken when he continued, “I’ve lived through the death of the first woman I loved. I’m not about to lose you as well.”
“Tariq,” Liora started.
He shook his head. “Promise me, Liora. I’m not going to sit back and let you rush off to face death in whatever form it threatens by yourself. I’m not that man, and I don’t appreciate being put in that position.” His voice lowered, “Live or die, Liora, we fight our battles together. Promise me.”
Liora nodded. “I promise,” she whispered.
He cupped her cheeks with his hands and kissed her gently. When he sat back on his heels, he let out a sigh.
“I told myself I would do that again, but I didn’t dare believe it would really happen. When I saw you jump out with the orb, I felt like I jumped out with you.”
Liora thought of his face in her mind and the regrets that had filled her at the thought of leaving him.
“You did,” she replied.
Tariq watched her closely. “How are you feeling? Can you make it back to Echo?”
Liora nodded. “Now that I don’t feel like I’m stuck in one of Jarston’s stews, I can do anything.”
Tariq helped her to her feet. He slung her atmosphere suit over his shoulder and walked beside her through the trees. The felis stalked in front of them, its tail twitching and ears alert for any sound of danger.
Liora was relieved when they reached the remains of the town without incident. The Gull sat near the wreckage that had been the tavern.
Obruo rose from the open hatch, his hands cuffed behind his back and rage coloring his face red.
“What were you thinking?” he demanded. “You’ve killed us, you stupid mongr—”
Tariq punched Obruo so hard the Damaclan hit the side of the Gull before he fell to the ground. The human then pulled out his gun and aimed it at the chief. Obruo glared at him, his lips bloody and anger bright in his eyes.
“Tariq, wait!” Liora said.
Tariq shook his head. “He doesn’t deserve to live.”
“Tariq’s right,” Brandis said, stepping down from the Gull. “After all Obruo’s done, he doesn’t deserve mercy.”
Liora glanced from Tariq to her brother. Both looked out for blood, and Obruo was the target.
“I need him to tell the Damaclan chiefs that he lied. It’s the only way to keep Corian and the merchant ships safe. He has to testify, or everyone could be killed.”
Tariq looked from Liora to Obruo. It was clear how hard it was for him not to shoot the chief right there and end the reign of terror the Damaclan had held. Liora was half-tempted to let him do it; if it wasn’t for the other lives on the line, she didn’t know if she would hold him back or join him. Her hands itched to hold her knives.
Brandis didn’t appear at all pleased at the thought of taking Obruo back with them, but it was clear he had learned to put the wellbeing of those who looked to him for safety above his own wants. He folded his arms across his chest and glared at Obruo.
“I’ll wait for you guys inside,” he said. He met Liora’s eyes. “I’ll let Father know what’s going on. He’ll be anxious about the Damaclans.”
“Thank you,” Liora told him.
When Brandis stepped into the Gull, Devren came out with his mother and sister.
“I’m so glad you’re safe,” Mrs. Metis said. She gave Liora a hug. “That was very brave.”
“I’ve never seen anyone do anything like that,” Kiari told her, staying far away from Obruo. “That was beyond amazing.”
“I can’t believe you let her do that,” Liora heard Tariq say to Devren as they hauled Obruo back into the Gull.
“It’s not like she gave me a choice,” Devren replied. “She’s stubborn.”
“Tell me about it,” Tariq replied.
Liora waited until the others were safely inside before she dropped to her knees. The felis pushed against her, its head soft and the blue of its skeleton glowing brightly.
“I owe you my life,” she whispered as she ran her fingers through the felis’ fur. “I’d be lost without you.”
For a moment, she debated whether to invite the huge cat aboard the Gull. It was tempting to take the animal with her after everything it had done. Yet the glowing jungle loomed near, a much better home for such a predator than the inside of a starship.
“You’ll be better off here,” she told it.
The felis gave a toothy yawn and stretched. Liora rose, patted its head once more, and then entered the Gull.
“Not going to bring the felis with you?” Tariq said, his expression only half-teasing.
Liora shook her head. “A starship would be a cage for an animal like that.” She smiled. “The thought that it will live here free and safe with the others that survived is more than enough for me.”
She took a seat next to Tariq. He drew closer so she could rest against him.
It felt strange to sit inside the small ship with Devren in the pilot’s seat and Brandis manning the copilot position. If Liora had been told years ago that she would ride in a space-to-land craft held safely in the arms of a man she loved and who loved her back, a pilot who was a dear friend, a half-brother speaking to her father over the communicator, and Obruo sitting in chains in the corner, she would have told them they needed to get their head checked. The fact that it was reality filled her with a warmth that surrounded her in security.
“Somebody’s going to have to clean that atmosphere suit,” Tariq said as the Gull lifted into the dark sky.
Liora glanced at the suit that had been tossed in the corner. Orange goop dripped to the floor. “I’ll take care of it when the Damaclan threat is under control.”
Tariq shook his head. “I’ll take care of it,” he replied. “I think you’ve had enough of Verdan’s life-threatening perils.”
Liora gave him a tired smile. “I love Verdan, but I’ve had enough of the orange slime to last a lifetime.”
“Me, too,” Kiari said.
At their questioning looks, she gave an embarrassed smile. “Well, there’s nothing left on Verdan for Mother and me. I wouldn’t mind going elsewhere permanently.”
Devren looked back at them from the pilot’s chair. “Do you feel the same way, Mother?”
Mrs. Metis nodded. “Echo’s gone. I wouldn’t mind the chance to start somewhere new.” She paused, then said, “We’ve lost everyone we know. Verdan isn’t home any longer.”
“I can see to that,” Brandis told them. “I’ll help you get situated wherever you would like. There are also positions aboard the fleet or on Corian where you could fit into one of the many communities. You would be very comfortable.”
“Thank you,” Mrs. Metis replied with a warm smile.
Brandis looked at Liora with dark eyes like her own. “There’s also a place for you, Liora.”
The thought of settling down somewhere felt foreign to her. Liora answered her brother with, “Let’s see where we end up after addressing the Damaclans and taking care of the Nameless Ones. If my race destroys Corian, there won’t be a place for anyone.”
“You’re human, too,” Brandis said. “Perhaps you can talk some sense into those savages.”
Silence filled the Gull.
Br
andis watched Liora, his gaze quizzical as he waited for her response. She glanced at Obruo. The Damaclan chief glared daggers at her brother. The thought that the human could upset the Damaclan she used to fear struck her as funny.
Liora laughed. “Savages,” she managed to get out. Tariq and Brandis joined her. Soon, everyone but Obruo was laughing aboard the tiny ship as it made its way back to the Eos.
Chapter 10
“Thank you for joining me here again,” Liora told the Damaclans.
The atmosphere in the conference room on Corian was completely different than it had been the first time Liora had stepped into the room. Where the number of Damaclans had been surprising before, this time, they were packed shoulder to shoulder with standing room only on the raised rows around the dais. Liora was both touched and a bit overwhelmed by the response to her call.
“Chief Incendo, Chief Decerpo, and Chief Annihilo, I am honored by your presence,” she continued.
All three Damaclan chiefs gave small bows of their heads in response. Their knives stayed in their sheaths after Liora’s customary acceptance of their blades. The small wound on her thumb was a reminder of their loyalty to blood in her veins. Though she was young and inexperienced in regards to politics, it was time for her to step into the role for which she had been born.
Liora took a steeling breath and turned her attention to Obruo who waited in chains between Tariq and Brandis. Liora’s father stood a few feet behind them, his gaze traveling from Liora to the Damaclan chiefs she addressed; his hand wasn’t far from the gun at his side in case his daughter needed his protection.
The simple gesture brought Liora confidence. Her father had called the meeting on her behalf, and though he was in charge of the merchant fleet with thousands of families looking to him for support, he entrusted their safety to the daughter he barely knew. She would prove worthy of his trust.
“Chief Obruo, you lied to our Damaclan brothers and sisters when you told them the Nameless Ones were killing their families because the humans were keeping me under their control,” Liora said.
A rush of whispers flowed through the congregation.
Liora continued, “The truth is, when the Nameless Ones destroyed our clan, including my mother, Queen Tenieva, they made a bargain with you. The bargain was that you would give them the Feren and Bilar orbs. They would use the energy of the orbs to make themselves the masters of the Macrocosm, and in return, they would give me to you to do with as you wished.”
Outrage sounded from the raised stands. The thought of someone doing as they pleased with the Damaclan queen was enough to send the members of the Damaclan race into a killing rage.
“Traitor!” someone called.
“Death,” another demanded.
Liora held up a hand and everyone quieted. She felt the intense stares of the Damaclan chiefs and met their gazes in turn.
“The threat of the Nameless Ones isn’t Obruo’s fault. As you know, they have been killing our kind long before he became a chieftain. But Obruo meant me harm when the Nameless Ones had what they were after. I have no doubt that were he to succeed and give them the orbs, the Damaclans would no longer have a queen.”
Shouts and calls for Obruo’s life rained down. Hands reached for knives and the sound of metal on the marble of the stands rang through the room.
“What are they doing?” Tariq asked quietly.
Liora looked at the Damaclan chief standing between Tariq and Brandis. Obruo wouldn’t meet her gaze because he knew as well as she did.
“They’re dulling their blades,” she said.
“Why?” Brandis asked.
“Because a threat to the queen has only one end result,” Liora replied, her voice level.
The Damaclans wouldn’t doubt the word of their queen, and she had been completely honest with them. She would let them do what they must.
“Permission to speak, my queen,” Chief Incendo said.
The room quieted.
“Please do,” Liora replied.
The older chief turned to Obruo. “Chief Obruo, I once respected you as a brother, and when you asked me for help in locating your daughter, I did as you asked. You said you had only her safety in mind and feared that the humans were holding her captive. Yet it turns out that you involved me in a threat against Queen Liora. You are no longer my brother, my blood, or a Damaclan, and you deserve the death of the betrayer of our race.” He looked at the other chiefs. “Let it be done.”
The other two chiefs took Obruo from Tariq and Brandis and pushed him to the middle of the dais.
“I’m sorry,” Obruo begged, stumbling. “Please have mercy.”
“Mercy is weakness,” Chief Decerpo recited from the Damaclan trainings. “Kill like a Damaclan, and die like a Damaclan; without mercy and without fear. You brought this upon yourself, Obruo. Be true to the blood that flows through your veins; accept your fate like a Damaclan.”
Obruo turned his gaze to Liora and his eyes sparked with defiance and anger.
“You are worthless!” he shouted. “You don’t deserve to be queen of the Damaclan race. You deserve to die beneath my blade; you are less than—”
“Avenge your queen,” Incendo called out.
Damaclans surged from the stands. A yell escaped from Obruo. Liora forced herself not to look away as the Damaclan chief was hacked apart by dulled blades. It was a painful, horrific death, and though she did not participate, it was her duty to oversee that the punishment was carried out as befitting a betrayal of the queen.
Liora couldn’t meet the gazes of her father or brother. She didn’t want to see the horror she knew she would find on their faces. Perhaps they regretted welcoming a Damaclan into their family. Maybe Obruo would inflict a final wound even after his death. Liora pushed the thought aside; she would have time to work with her family later, hopefully.
Blood covered the floor, the Damaclans, and the humans when they were finished. Chief Incendo ordered his men and women to dispose of the pieces of Obruo’s body that littered the dais. He then turned to Liora.
“My queen, I apologize for any involvement I may have had in your detainment. If you order, I will give myself up to the same punishment.”
Liora shook her head. “No need, Chief Incendo. You have proven your loyalty.”
He put a fist to his heart in gratitude. “We need to discuss what actions to take against the Nameless Ones.”
“What actions can we take?” Chief Decerpo replied. “We cannot stop them, and they won’t cease until our clans lie dead at our feet.”
Chief Annihilo shook his head. “We’ve already lost too many of our youth. I can’t stand by and do nothing.”
“Maybe we don’t have to,” Tariq said.
Everyone looked at him.
Being the center of attention in a conference room filled with Damaclans wasn’t exactly a good thing, but Tariq met the gaze of each chief.
“The Nameless Ones wanted Obruo to bring the orbs to them, but how did they know about the orbs in the first place?”
Liora realized what Tariq was saying. “We need to go to the red planet.”
Tariq nodded. “Last time we were there, we were in a hurry to get the Omne Occasus away from the Revolutionaries, scavengers, and the Coalition so it didn’t fall into the wrong hands. We didn’t have time to research why the Omne Occasus was there in the first place, or who was responsible for it. We need more information.”
Chief Decerpo fingered the knife at his waist. “Perhaps we can figure out what they want with the orbs, and through that, we’ll know how to destroy them.”
“If the planet you speak of holds the answers, we need to leave for it immediately,” Chief Incendo said. “We’ll prepare our ships.”
“We’ll be ready to go shortly,” Liora told them.
She watched the Damaclans file silently out of the room. Obruo’s blood stained the dais at her feet in dark, sticky liquid. The Damaclan chief’s death had come so suddenly. Though she knew what wou
ld happen once she informed the chieftains of Obruo’s betrayal, there really had been no time to prepare for seeing him hacked apart in the way of the Damaclan.
Obruo had done everything in his power to make her life wretched. The fact that he was gone was difficult to comprehend. Liora was so used to looking over her shoulder, the thought that she no longer had to felt foreign.
“Can we talk for a moment?” her father asked.
Liora turned to find the others watching her. She would rather rush away on the SS Kratos instead of speak with her father after what had just happened, but he and Brandis had shown such kindness and trust toward her, and he had gathered the Damaclans on Corian once more because she had asked him to.
She nodded.
“Let’s go somewhere private,” the senior commandant said. He looked at Tariq and Devren. “I know you have to go. I’ll have Liora back to you very shortly.”
There was a protective expression on Tariq’s face when Liora walked past him. He touched her arm.
“Will you be alright?”
His concern made her smile. They had faced death many times together, they had survived Obruo’s attacks, they had made it through flesh eating worms and Coalition officers, yet he was worried about a confrontation with her father.
“I’ll be fine,” she reassured him.
She followed Senior Commandant Day and his son away from the conference room down a different hallway from the one they had entered. The hall was small and empty, but through each window they passed, she could see armed guards. Her father put his hand to the panel at the end and the door slid open to reveal a warmly lit office with plush red carpet, luxurious couches, and even a fire in a huge fireplace that took up the majority of one wall.
“It’s more for looks than necessity,” the senior commandant said, following her gaze.
“This is a beautiful office,” Liora told him in an attempt to calm her nerves.
Her father took a seat on one of the couches and Brandis sat beside him. At the senior commandant’s gesture, Liora sat on the couch across from them.
Her father was silent for a moment. He looked at the carpet, then at the crackling fire. When he met her gaze, there was trepidation in his dark eyes.
